Mortal Kombat: Kold Revenge
by eternalscrappy
Summary: In this alternate take on the world of Mortal Kombat, NYC Detective Lou Kang enlists the help of a mysterious vigilante with freezing powers in order to stop kingpin Shawn Kahn's reign over the strange of powerful gangs who dominate the city. But the vigilante is on a mission of his own seeking vengeance for the destruction of his family years ago.
1. Chapter 1

Mortal Kombat: Kold Revenge

New York City – Eight years ago…

A family sits down for dinner and Shawn Kahn's troops kick down the apartment door. As the older brother watches men in armor grab his family and slam them into the ground, he jumps out of his seat in their defense. As a former gang member, the brother fights admirably and honorably. He kicks, flips, and dances around the less experienced thugs. He then uses his mastery of cold to freeze the onslaught of opponents as they walk through the door. But the young man is eventually overwhelmed.

As the thugs try to restrain the ferocious warrior to the ground a voice booms into the apartment. "Enough!"

A man dressed in a long, red sorcerer's robe slowly walks through the door. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

The sight of the sorcerer fills the man with rage and he continues to try and break free. "Why?! This is my family! They had nothing to do with it!"

"Oh they have everything to do with it. You already had a family. The Lin Kuei was your family and you abandoned them. Death before dishonor, Zero. You know that."

"I will not be controlled. I am not a puppet!"

"It doesn't matter. He brought us together and you turned your back on him…on us. You betrayed the alliance and now you must pay the price."

"Go to hell."

The sorcerer laughs as he slowly walks around the apartment passing several armored thugs. He looks around the room and sees a mother and father, as well as the young man, a little girl and two thirteen year old boys. He walks over to one of the boys that is being held to the ground and stands over him. He spots a packet of cigarettes in the boy's pocket and leans down to pick them up. "A boy your age smokes? These things will kill you."

The rage within the other thirteen year old boy grows so strong the sorcerer can begin to feel his anger. "What? Is this an acquaintance of yours? He doesn't look to be a member of the family. He must be a friend. Well then I guess he can be my friend too."

The sorcerer outstretches his arm over the boy he stole the cigarettes from and takes in a deep breath. He focuses his energy and a green glow flows out of the boy's body and enters into the sorcerer's hand. The other boy screams in anger as he watches his friend's soul slowly to slip away. After all life has completely left the child's body, the sorcerer smiles and looks back at the other boy. "Don't worry. I'll keep him safe for you."

The sorcerer laughs as he walks around the boy's corpse and continues around the apartment. The father of the family then looks up from the floor. "Whoever you are, we will do whatever you want and you can take anything we own. Just please, don't hurt us."

"I'm sorry, sir. But I just can't do that. Your son has done something which we cannot look away from. And now I have an old friend who would like to see him."

The sorcerer motions to the door and a man wearing yellow fighting armor and mask walks through the door. "Hello, Zero."

The young man gasps at the sight of an old foe he killed several nights before. "Ha…Hanzo?"

"No…not anymore."

"But…you're…I…"

The yellow warrior bends down beside him and stares with his white, pale eyes. "You what? Killed me? Yes, you did…in cold blood I might add. But Shane Tsung gave me life where you gave me death. He offered me redemption, but you know what I found upon my return. My family…my friends…everyone dead! It wasn't enough for you to kill me was it? You had to kill everyone around me."

"I don't know what the sorcerer has told you, Hanzo, but I didn't kill your family."

"Liar!"

The yellow warrior raises his hand to strike down but the young man flips back leaving an ice statue in his place. The ice from the statue flows onto the thugs holding it down and they too freeze in place.

The yellow warrior charges at the man and the two begin to fight. The sorcerer signals the rest of the thugs to stay away as both warriors move with amazing speed and attack with precision.

The man jumps back and readies his ice attack, but his opponent flings a dagger connected to a rope and hits him in the shoulder. The man lets out a scream and the yellow warrior smiles. "Not this time, snowman. Get over here."

The warrior then pulls on the rope and the man flies forward into his fist. The warrior pulls out the dagger as the young man falls to the ground. The other boy squirms away from the soldiers holding him down and runs to his brother's aid. "Nooooooo!"

The yellow warrior slices with his dagger and cuts up the eye of the young boy. The child falls to the floor as blood drips down his face. The yellow warrior then stands proud over the two brothers. "Pathetic."

The father tries with all his might to get up but the guards push him down harder into the ground. The sorcerer nods his head to the guards and one by one they fire single bullets into the other members of the family. First the father, then the mother and last the little girl.

The troops then pick up the limp body of the soulless boy and exit the room leaving just the yellow warrior, the sorcerer and the two wounded brothers along with the bodies of their family. The sorcerer turns to the yellow warrior as he walks out of the room. "Burn it. Show him the hell he sent you to, my spectre."

"As you wish, master."

The young boy looks up at the yellow warrior as he pulls off his mask revealing a skull. The skeleton head then turns to the younger boy and smiles. "Welcome to Outworld, little boy."

Flames shoot out of the skull's mouth and around the room as the boy watches his brother slowly burn to ash.

Present Day

"You ready for this, Sonya?"

"Jax, I've been ready for this since I started tracking this asshole. Let's do it."

Inside a van, Jackson Briggs and Sonya Blade, as well as many of their fellow SWAT members, prepare for a raid on a warehouse owned by Shawn Kahn. Inside the warehouse is John Kano, a mercenary Blade has been tracking ever since he murdered her former partner years before. She checks the ammo in her clip and then jams it into her gun. "You ready to go, big man?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The two lead the way out of the van and to the giant garage door of the warehouse. Sonya signals a fellow officer, Kurtis Stryker, to set up C4 on the door. After the charge is set everyone takes a step back and Stryker pulls the trigger. The door blows open and all the officers run into the giant warehouse shooting.

The members of the Black Dragon gang quickly grab all the weapons they can and return fire. Sonya sees Sam Jarek, one of Kano's henchmen, and quickly charges after him firing. Jarek pulls out a sword and easily deflects the bullets.

After she runs out of ammo, Sonya throws her gun up and Jarek watches it fly through the warehouse. She then jumps and flies through the air before nailing Jarek in the face with a kick. As Jarek hits the ground he looks to his side and sees Kano on the far end of the warehouse. "Kano! Get out! Blade is here!"

Sonya looks to her side and locks eyes with Kano. He immediately drops the money in his hands and takes off to the back of the warehouse. Sonya pulls a pistol from her belt and chases after him. "Stop!"

Kano heads out the back door and runs down the side alley, but stops when he comes to a gigantic fence in his path. "Aw shit."

He then lowers his head at the sound of Sonya's voice. "End of the line, Kano. Hands up and no more running."

Kano slowly lifts his hands up over his head. "I don't think so, bitch."

In one swift motion, he turns around and throws several small knives at her. Sonya instinctively dives out of the way and fires several shots. The first two bullets wiz by Kano's head, but the third connects with his upper cheek. Kano lets out a scream and flies back into the fence. He then rolls around on the ground screaming and holding his eye.

Sonya slowly stands as Jax joins her to look at Kano rolling in pain. "I see you had yourself some target practice. You want me to call him an ambulance?"

"No. Let the bastard bleed then book him. Bring him to the station before the hospital, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Sonya walks back into the warehouse and a small grin grows across her face as Kano continues to scream.

Inside the main room of the police precinct, Sonya falls back in her chair and takes a long deserved sigh. She sulks down into the seat and her relaxation is broken by someone standing in front of her desk. "Excuse me miss, do you know where I can find Chief Raiden?"

Sonya looks up and at the young man in his late twenties. The boy stands tall and proud, but his obvious nervousness shows through. Sonya looks him up and down and leans back into her chair. "And you are?"

"Detective Lou Kang. Just transferred from Chicago. You know I…."

"Yeah that's real nice, kid. I'm sure you have a great story but I'm really not in the mood. The Chief's office is…"

Sonya's cut off by a loud booming voice from the other end of the room. "Detective Kang! I see you've arrived. I'm Chief Raiden. Nice to meet you."

Lou extends his arm and handshakes the Chief. "It's on honor to work for this precinct, sir."

"Well it's an honor to have you. You come highly recommended by Chief Fujin."

"Thank you."

"We need all the help we can get. It's a war zone out there. I see you've met Officer Blade. I hope she's been friendly."

Sonya continues to lean back in her chair with her hands behind her head. "You know me, Chief. I'm just being myself."

The attention of the three turns to a voice from behind them. "Yes, Sonya. That's what he's afraid of."

Standing before them is a large man wearing a hat covering his eyes. Raiden walks around the table and shakes his hand. "Ahh. You're just in time. Lou, I'd like you to meet Ken Lao, you're new partner. Ken, this is Lou Kang. He just transferred from Chicago."

Lou extends his hand eager to greet his new partner and Ken slowly accepts the handshake. The moment is broken by a voice familiar to Sonya across the room. "It's good to see you again, baby. I'll give you a call later."

All of them turn and see Kano being escorted out of the precinct with a bandage covering his eye. The gang leader winks with the other eye as he blows a kiss to Sonya and walks out of the room. Sonya immediately stands up and turns toward Raiden. "Where the hell is he going?!"

"He made bail."

"You have got to be kidding me?!"

"No. I'm afraid not."

"This is bullshit!"

Sonya storms out of the room and Raiden turns to Jax sitting at his desk nearby. "Go calm her down, will ya?"

"Yes, sir"

Jax runs out of the room to chase Sonya down. Ken then turns to Lou and motions towards the door. "Come on. Let's go for a ride, kid."


	2. Chapter 2

Shawn Kahn leans back and relaxes in his Jacuzzi overlooking his penthouse apartment while his beautiful mistress, Jade, feeds him strawberries and compliments. "How does it feel to have unlimited power at your fingertips, Mr. Kahn? To have an entire empire bow before you? Tell me."

"It's nothing compared to staring at the most stunning woman ever to walk the face of the Earth."

He grabs her, rolls her into the hot tub and into his arms. He then leans down to kiss her when the intercom by the door goes off. "Mr. Kahn…"

"What is it?! I'm busy!"

"Sorcerer Tsung is here, sir. Shall I send him in?"

"Yes, yes. Immediately. Get off of me."

Kahn throws Jade off him, stands up and wraps a robe over his shoulders. Tsung and his bodyguard hidden under a hooded cloak walk over to Kahn and the sorcerer bows down. "Good morning, my lord."

"Sorcerer, how are things? I see you've brought your new guardian. I hope everything went well with the genetic splicing procedure he went through."

"Yes. It was a complete success."

"Good. What news do you have for me?"

Tsung and his bodyguard follow Kahn as he walks through the halls of the gigantic apartment. "All is going well on the streets. The gangs continue to be working in unison and profits are still up. We had to bail Kano out of jail but nothing major is occurring."

"So then why are you here?"

"We had an issue the other night at a witness' house."

"So…?"

"I sent a small extermination squad of Tarkatans, Barry Baraka's gang. They didn't anticipate much resistance but…there was."

"What kind of resistance?"

"According to Baraka, there was someone waiting when they arrived. Someone with the ability to freeze air."

Kahn stops and quickly turns towards the sorcerer. "What did you just say…?"

"Someone with the ability to freeze air, my lord. Baraka barely escaped but the rest of the squad was not as lucky."

Shawn Kahn takes a deep breathe, walks towards the gigantic windows and looks down over the city. "I thought you said you killed him?"

"I said Scorpion killed him."

"Then why is he still alive?!"

"I don't know, my lord."

"Well get back to your chamber and summon Hanzo up here to kill the bastard….again! And this time make sure he stays dead!"

"Yes, my lord."

"I will not have that cryomancer cause me anymore trouble. Now leave."

Tsung walks out of the apartment with his bodyguard behind him as Kahn continues to look out over the city.

In an unmarked police car, Lou Kang and Ken Lao aimlessly drive around the city. Lao then notices Kang staring out the window in wonder. "It's amazing isn't it? The city I mean. Shocked me the first time I saw it too. So many people in such a small space. It's amazing they all don't go insane."

Kang continues to look out the window. "Unfortunately some do."

Lao just smiles. "You think that's why you're here don't you? To stop the insanity."

Kang turns towards his partner. "Truth is I don't know why I'm here."

"Well I'm going to tell you why you're here, Lou. I could say it's to stop crime and make the city a better place. But that's too vague. Too complicated. You want a simple answer? I'll give it to you. Shawn Kahn. Every gang and mob family in the city, he controls it all. You stop him…and this city might still have a chance."

"Why don't we just go after him?"

"It's not that simple, son. Kahn is into everything. Government, cops, gangs, corporations…it's all his. The Emperor of New York. We go after him and he'll have the entire city brought down on us. We're too tied down by the system and the law. If we bring him down we have to do it legally."

"How did this happen?"

"It all started about eight years ago when the city was still normal. Well as normal as this city can be. It was still bad but not the way it is now. Back then there were about a dozen gangs in the city all competing. And it was our job to stand in the middle. We had to stop the wars before they happened and believe me when I tell you…they were ugly.

"Then Kahn showed up. He brought all the rivals together and allied them. He formed a deadly alliance and combined the power of all the gangs in New York. He controlled them all. It wasn't long before all the forces of evil in the city were working together and it was up to us to stop them."

"Wonderful."

"That's not it. You won't see this on the news, but ever since Kahn took over some weird things have been going on."

"Weird things?"

"These goons and thugs are no longer petty pickpockets with guns. They're using forces and abilities that none of us can explain. Also Kahn is into genetic engineering as well as cybernetics and an unlimited supply of weaponry. We don't really talk about it because the Commissioner wants us to keep the public calm, but we're losing this war and are extremely overwhelmed."

"And what makes you think I can make a difference?"

"Well from what Raiden tells me you can handle yourself pretty well out there and I could…"

Lao is cut off by an operator's voice on the radio. "All available units in Midtown, we have a 397 at the bank located on 45th and Lexington. Suspects are armed and considered extremely dangerous. Proceed with maximum caution. Over."

Lao puts a light on top of the car and turns it on. "I guess it's time to see what you got, kid."

Rain paces nervously up and down the main lobby of the empty bank and then leans his head back into the vault. "Can you hurry up in there, Ermac? Cops are going to be here any second."

"We're going as fast as we can. There, we have all of it."

Ermac walks out of the vault with two bags in his hands and two more bags floating by his side. "Here, take these."

Rain grabs the two bags out of the air. "Let's get out of here."

As Ken Lao pulls his car up to the bank he sees no other cops. Ken steps out and looks around at the bank workers standing around staring at the building. "They let the hostages go?"

Lou then instinctively runs straight for the main doors. "They're still in there!"

Ken tries to stop him but it's too late. "Lou! Wait for….damn."

He then follows Lou into the bank.

Lou steps in through the doors and pulls out his gun. "Freeze!"

Ken runs in shortly after him and pulls out his gun whispering in Lou's ear. "Don't you ever pull that shit again."

Lou brushes off his scold and starts slowly walking towards the robbers. "Drop the bags and put your hands in the air."

Ermac and Rain slowly look at each other and then drop the bags at the same time. Rain quickly fires a lightning blast that knocks the guns out of both Ken and Lou's hands. Ermac then uses his telekinesis to lift them up and slam them into the back of the wall.

The two robbers then run at their downed opponents. Rain charges at Lou and swings but Lou quickly gets up and dodges the punch. Rain continues with his attacks and Lou tries with all his energy to dodge them. He moves so fast that Lou doesn't even have the opportunity to breath.

While Rain continues his onslaught on Lou, Ken is busy fending off Ermac. Ermac and Ken go toe to toe blocking and counter one another's strikes, but Ken's attacks are nothing compared to the superior skill of his opponent.

Eventually Ermac and Rain wear Ken and Lou down enough they easily kick their opponents to the ground and make an escape out the back of the bank with the bags of money.

As Lou stares at the ground in humility, he slowly looks to his side and notices the dark figure of a man standing next to the wall in the shadows. He quickly closes his eyes and opens them up again, but the silhouette of the man slowly fades into the shadows. Lou shakes the image off, stands and helps Ken. "That didn't go to well."

"You should have waited for backup. It was wrong of you running into the bank like that."

"The bank was empty of civilians and they were going to get away. I had no choice."

"Well now you see why we don't charge into a fight with these goons. They have powers. We don't. It's not like it used to be."

Ken disgracefully shakes his head and walks out of the bank.

After reinforcements come and secure the bank scene, Lao and Kang get back in their car and drive off. As he stares out the window, Lou rethinks the events of the robbery. After facing the superior abilities of the two thieves and a man disappearing into shadows he starts to question his sanity. Lao then notices him staring off. "You alright?"

"Do you think I'm alright? I just got my ass kicked by super powered thugs."

"It could be worse."

"Yeah…worse."

Lou rolls his eyes and continues to look out the window at the opposite street. As the car passes by an alley, Lou catches a quick glimpse of a man getting beaten up against the wall. Lou immediately turns to Ken. "Stop the car!"

"What?"

"Just stop the car now!"

As Ken stops the car, Lou gets out and runs down the street.

After Sub-Zero slams the Black Dragon member into the wall, he lifts him up off the ground with both hands and holds him in front of his scarred face. "What is he planning, Kobra? I know something's going on tonight."

"I…I don't know."

"You're lying to me. I can smell the pitiful stench of fear all over you. Now tell me."

"The…the….the docks. A couple days from now."

"Was that so hard. Now, don't you go telling all your little friends that I…"

His sentence is cut off by Lou Kang standing at the entrance of the alley aiming a gun at him. "You, in the blue. Freeze!"

"Well if you insist."

Zero lets go of Kobra with one hand and fires an ice blast towards the officer with the other. The blast hits the gun and sends a trail of ice down the barrel. Lou drops the gun in shock and watches as ice completely covers the pistol before it hits the ground.

A smirk grows across Sub-Zero's scarred face and Kobra runs off down the alley. Kang then pulls out another gun and fires at his icy foe. Zero quickly runs down the alley and heads behind a building.

Kang chases after him but as he turns the corner Zero kicks the gun out of his hand. The two battle in the street alley for several moments before Lou rolls, grabs his gun and aims at Zero. "Enough. Don't move."

Zero puts his hands up and smiles. "Not bad…for a pig."

Unlike Zero, Kang doesn't show any emotion in his face. "You want to explain the trick with the ice?"

"You're in a war you have no part of. Stay out of it."

"Yeah. You can tell that to the DA. Turn around."

Lou walks over to Zero with handcuffs, but Zero quickly spins around, kicks the handcuffs out of Lou's hands and seemingly vanishes into thin air. Kang looks around for the mysterious man but finds no trace. As Kang continues to look he sees a figure standing in the shade behind a building. "Is anyone there?"

He then hears a whisper coming from behind him. "You will find out soon enough."

Kang quickly turns around but no one is there. He turns back and the figure in the shadows is gone. A confused look grows across Lou's face but Ken shows up and snaps him out of it. "What are you doing?"

"I saw this man getting beaten up and then…"

"It doesn't matter. Things are different here then where you're from. You have to think before charging at someone. You never know who or what they are."

Ken takes a deep breath in and lowers his head. "Just…don't do that again. Come on. We're due back at the station."

As the day comes to a close, Ken Lao pulls into the driveway of his suburban home. He then walks through the door and immediately hears the screaming of his wife and daughters.

He heads into the kitchen and sees one of his daughters, Kitana, leaning against the counter wearing jeans and a t-shirt. His other daughter, Mileena, stands in the center of the room wearing all dark purple clothing with numerous piercing on her face. The girls' mother, Sindel, stands alongside Mileena and the two women exchange screams back and forth.

Ken simply leans onto the wall in the doorway and watches. "Mother! What is your problem?!"

"My problem is the way you're dressed. Look at yourself, Mileena. You look like…"

"Like what?! Huh?! Like a whore?!"

"…like someone not yourself."

"And how would you know?! All you care about is little miss perfect over there."

She points over to Kitana who puts her hands up in innocence. "I want no part of this."

Sindel puts her hands on Mileena's shoulders. "It's just you've changed so much recently. This new guy you're dating…"

"God! I'm not dating him, mom. His name is Barry and I just went to see the new Johnny Cage movie with him. That's it."

"I know, honey. But he's just not for you. He's…"

"Oh shut up! This is bullshit! Get out of my way."

She walks past her father ignoring him and storms out of the house. Kitana runs after her. "I'll get her."

Ken walks over to his wife and wraps his arms around her. "It's just a teenage thing. I'm sure she'll get over it."

"I just can't stand it. And sometimes I think she acts the way she does just to aggravate me."

"I know. Just stay calm and try to understand."


	3. Chapter 3

Several days later.

In a warehouse, Reiko checks several boxes filled with weapons and a small smile grows across his face. He then heads back to the center of the building where a man in a suit waits along with fifty armed henchman belonging to either side. The man fixes his tie and stands tall. "So do you like the merchandise?"

"It will do."

"Perfect. Now the money."

Reiko signals one of the men behind him with a briefcase to come forward. The henchman hands it to Reiko who opens it up. "Two and a half million. As we agreed."

The man in the suit begins to smile, but his grin is cut off by an explosion from outside the warehouse. Reiko and the man's henchmen raise their weapons and point them at one another. Reiko shuts the briefcase and backs up. "You backstabbing son of a bitch!"

"It wasn't me! You're the rat."

"Kahn will not be pleased with this."

"Yeah. Unfortunately I don't work for him. Good day."

The man walks back behind his men, but Reiko flings a throwing star at the fleeing man. The star hits the man square in the back of the head and he falls to the ground. Both sides exchange gunfire and Reiko dives behind a box. Sub-Zero dressed all in blue armor grabs Reiko from behind and lifts him up. "Looks like your little transaction didn't go as planned."

Reiko tries his hardest to loosen Sub-Zero's hold but it's no use. "It doesn't matter. There's someone I would like you to meet."

Sub-Zero is kicked from behind and stumbles forward dropping Reiko. The blue warrior rolls into the center row of boxes and a grey colored cyborg walks carelessly towards him. As the cyborg continues to make his way towards his foe, smoke flows all around him as if it was part of his body.

Zero curiously looks at emotionless the cyborg and feels a familiar energy. He then realizes it's his old friend that was murdered in front of his eyes eight years ago. Zero slowly backs up shaking his head in disbelief. "No. No! It's not possible. You can't…"

The cyborg silently continues forward and Zero takes a deep breathe of regret. "Smoke…I'm sorry."

Smoke steps in front of Zero's face and speaks in a mechanical voice. "There's no need for words. There's only need for death."

The cyborg attacks Sub-Zero and the two fight in between the rows of boxes. Zero and Smoke exchange blow after blow and block after block in a stalemate.

As the two old friends continue fighting, a white eyed warrior dressed in yellow quietly kneels in the rafters watching the fight. The warrior scrunches his brow at Sub-Zero's form and whispers to himself. "Now that's interesting."

Sub-Zero and Smoke continue to fight evenly matched while the gun battle rages on around them. Then with a quick opening, Zero forms a large icicle in his hand and shoves it through the cyborg's midsection. The mechanical fighter screams in pain and blood drips down onto the floor from inside the cyborg's circuitry. Zero closes his eyes and breathes deep. "Forgive me…old friend."

Zero walks away leaving the disfigured body of his former best friend lying on the floor. After a couple of steps, he stops and turns back to take a last look at his old friend, but Smoke's body is gone. All that's left is a thin trail of smoke and a shadow passing over the floor the body once covered. Sub-Zero looks on confused but soon shakes it off and joins in the ensuing battle all around the warehouse.

As Reiko's and the gunrunner's men continue their fight, an explosion from the entrance rocks the warehouse and a swarm of police forces rush the building firing. All three sides of the battle take cover and exchange fire with one another. Kang, Sonya, Lao, Jax, Stryker and others enter the building and immediately charge into the firefight.

Lou eventually runs into Reiko trying to flee the scene and grabs onto him. Reiko spins around Lou and knocks the weapon out of his hand. Lou and Reiko begin to fight, but Reiko dominates the battle. He pummels Kang with a series of shots to the face and ribs then knocks him to the ground. Reiko stands over Lou's bloody body with a throwing star in his hand. "Pathetic."

He readies to throw the star when a blue beam shoots out from behind Lou and hits Reiko in the chest. The warrior's jaw drops in shock as he's frozen with ice from head to toe. Sub-Zero then flies over Lou and shatters the frozen body of Reiko with a kick.

Lou tries to stand but falls back to the ground and grabs his ribs. Zero then bends down towards him. "Here. Let me help you."

Zero picks him up and escapes into the sewers under the warehouse with Lou in his arms.

Inside his penthouse apartment, Khan picks up a desk and throws it across the room in a fit of rage. Jade, Baraka, Kano (with a bandage still on his eye), Ermac and Rain watch as their boss rampages destroying everything in sight.

Khan continues to scream and curse as he destroys anything in his way. He then turns towards Rain. "How did this happen?!"

"I don't know my, lord. Reiko set up the deal and took along one of the cyborgs but there were too many of them. Also Sub-Zero was there."

Kahn spins around and kicks Rain in the midsection. Rain flies back, hits the wall and falls to the floor. As he gets back up to his hands and knees, Kahn walks over to Rain and stands over him. "I know Zero was there, you idiot! Zero's everywhere! What I want to know is how the damn cops were there! Huh?! Can anyone answer that!?"

Kahn surveys the room as everyone stands in silence around him. He then shakes his head and storms out of the room. "Useless."

After Kahn leaves, Baraka helps Rain up and the two leave the room. Kano then turns to Ermac and hits him on the shoulder. "You should've said something, you ingrate."

"Us? We had nothing to do with it."

They walk out of the room as well leaving Jade alone. The beautiful woman dressed in all green then walks over to the corner of the room away from sight, lifts up her shirt and turns off a hidden recorder taped to her stomach.

Lou Kang slowly regains consciousness and looks around the dark, damp, small dungeon-like hole. He sits up off the mattress he's lying on and feels the heat from the small fire in front of him. A blanket is wrapped over him, but he still shivers from the immense cold of the sewage around him. He curls himself up in the blanket and moves as close to the fire as possible.

After several minutes, Sub-Zero enters through a small opening in the front of the room and tosses wood into the fire. "I see you're awake."

Lou continues to shiver as he tries to speak. "You're that man I cornered in the alley a couple days ago."

"Good memory. Yes, I am."

"My name's Lou Kang."

"Hello, Officer Kang."

"I was going to arrest you and you saved my life. Why?"

"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

Zero sits down and relaxes backwards. While the blue warrior calmly leans against the wall, Lou shivers and bundles up more into his blanket. "Aren't you cold? It's freezing in here."

"I can't feel it."

Lou closes his eyes and moves in closer to the fire. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sub-Zero."

"Sub-Zero? What kind of name is that?"

"It was given to my brother years ago."

"Well what is your name then?"

"It's been so long…I forget. It doesn't matter anyway. All that matters is who I am now."

"And who's that?"

"Just a man looking for redemption."

Lou instantly sees through his words. "Don't you mean vengeance?"

"Aren't they the same, Officer Kang?"

"No. They aren't. Vengeance is an action filled with rage. Is that what drives you, Sub-Zero? Rage?"

"You couldn't understand."

"Try me."

Sub-Zero takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as old memories return. "It began eight years ago. When my family was in desperate times. My dad had just lost his job and my mom was having trouble keeping us together. When suddenly one day my brother came home with about five hundred dollars in cash. We were all so happy we didn't even think to ask where it came from.

"Soon everyone but my little sister was starting to catch on. My brother had gotten mixed up with some bad people. We ignored it for a while because his money kept food on the table, but I really couldn't help but notice the changes in my brother. He started to become angry and isolated. Like his heart turned cold.

"After a few months my brother came home one day in a panic. He made us quickly pack up our things and move. He didn't explain why. He only said that we were no longer safe there. We didn't have enough money to leave the city so we moved to a rundown apartment uptown far from our old home.

"My brother thought we were safe but we weren't. That winter my best friend was over for dinner one day and the people my brother used to work for found us. They kicked down the door and held us to the ground. I was amazed by the way my brother defended our family. He fought with such intensity and rage. The biggest surprise was that he had these weird powers. He was freezing our attackers right where they stood.

"He fought bravely but it was no use. He eventually fell and then…evil walked through the door. A man came into my home and literally stole my friend's soul right in front of my eyes. Then he ordered the execution of my family as he exited the room.

"But not before he left my brother and me with this…this thing. It looked like a man but he was in no way alive, like a ghost. He knew my brother from somewhere and loathed him with such hate I could practically feel the rage inside of him. After giving me this scar, he burned my brother to ash right in front of my eyes. He then left me in the building as it burned to the ground.

"I managed to escape the flames and hide in an alleyway. I laid there for so long it seemed like forever. I didn't move. I just curled up near a dumpster trying to keep warm. I was tired, weak and hungry for so long. There was a blizzard a couple days later and I just couldn't hide from the cold any longer. I lied in the snow and closed my eyes hoping to fall asleep and never awake….but I couldn't. Instead my body welcomed the cold. I felt the ice run through my veins and instead of falling into eternal slumber I was awoken. I was more alive at that moment than I had ever been before. It was as if I felt my brother's spirit touch me and awaken something within.

"From that moment on I knew I had to avenge him and I would not rest until I saw the blood of his killers cover the floor below me. I have waited and now…now I am ready to kill those responsible."

"Is that it, Zero? Kill them all?"

"Why not? They deserve to die."

"And what about Kahn? Does he deserve to die?"

"I have no quarrel with him. All I care about is his sorcerer and my brother's murderer."

"Shawn Kahn controls them, Zero. Don't you want to take him down? Isn't that what your brother would have wanted?"

"My brother would want his death avenged."

"And what after that? You might feel better but the fighting won't stop. Kahn will get more thugs and more murderers. How long will it be before he ruins the lives of more families like he ruined yours?"

For a second, Sub-Zero looks down and silently contemplates Lou's words. "Sometimes we have step away from the rage within to do what is right."

Zero then stands and walks towards the small entrance of the room. Before leaving he stops and turns back towards Lou. "You're not a prisoner here. You may leave whenever you wish."

Sub-Zero then turns back around and walks out of the cold, dungeon-like room leaving Lou alone.

The next day Lou walks into the precinct and Ken immediately walks over to him. "Where the hell have you been? We thought you were killed."

"I…ran into someone I knew. Got caught up."

"Well hurry up and get ready."

"For what?"

"Last night went better than expected. We obtained enough evidence for a warrant to Kahn's corporate building downtown. Raiden wants us to hit him while he's on his heels. We're going this afternoon."

"You're kidding me?"

"No. Strap up. Raiden wants us in the briefing room in half an hour."

Lou runs past Ken and into the armory. He sees other officers as well as Jax, Sonya and Stryker getting suited up with body armor and gear. Jax then turns to Lou with a red bandana in his hand. "Here. Wear this, boy. It'll help you stand out in a crowd. Don't want to lose your ass again."

Lou and Jax both smile as Lou takes the bandana and wraps it around his head. Jax then nods with a big grin on his face. "Yeah. Now you're looking badass."

Stryker buts in between them. "Come on. Raiden's waiting in the briefing room."

The three of them and the rest of the officers leave the room and walk across the building to the briefing room.

Lou takes a seat behind Ken then focuses his attention on Raiden at the front of the room. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Fellow officers…and friends. Today is the day many of you have been waiting over eight years for. The day we take down Shawn Kahn: the most ruthless kingpin of crime this city has ever known.

"No one here knows what we're up against. We have no idea what lies behind the doors of that building. For all we know he has an army waiting to meet us head on. Or he could have some mutated freak that can shoot fire from its mouth. I don't know…and I don't care. After last night, Kahn is down, but he's not out. We're going to do that today…in broad day light. We're going to bust down those doors and take him and all his firepower out…today. No more red tape and no more paperwork. This is it. We have the green light. Get in there and take him down. Good luck…and god speed."


	4. Chapter 4

As several SWAT vans stop in front of Shawn Kahn's corporate building, the wave of officers pour into the building's gigantic lobby. Sonya immediately runs up to the woman at the front desk with her gun drawn. "We have a warrant for the arrest of Shawn Kahn. Where is he?"

"I don't…"

"Tell me!"

"He went home for the day. Just workers are upstairs."

Sonya turns to Jax standing beside her. "She's lying. We'll take the stairs."

As a few cops continue to check the lobby, Sonya leads the rest of the group up the stairs to the top floor. Jax, Lou Kang, Ken Loa and the other officers follow behind her up the long stairwell.

Once they reach the top floor, Sonya signals the cops behind her in first. The officers carefully walk through the gigantic empty room. Sonya and Jax soon follow them in. Jax hears a noise from above and looks up to see a red cyborg attached to the ceiling. "Above!"

The chest plate of the cyborg opens up and a green net falls on the soldiers leading the group. They put their arms up to shield themselves but its no use. The green net falls on top of them and immediately disintegrates away their uniforms and flesh. Sonya reaches out to help the men, but Jax pulls her back. "Don't touch them."

In a matter of seconds the men wither down to nothing. Ken, Lou, Jax and Sonya all raise their weapons up at the cyborg as it drops form the ceiling. The mechanical warrior lands in front of them and a yellow cyborg teleports beside it. The two take perfect fighting stances and Sonya looks them up and down. "Defense systems."

Sonya charges at the red one firing and starts fighting it along with Jax while Lou and Ken take on the yellow one. The cyborgs easily take on the bullets from the officers and knock their guns away. The humans then attack their opponents from both sides and the cyborgs fend them off.

Each of their battles result in a stale mate until a green liquid flies across the room and lands on Jax's back. He falls to the ground and Sonya watches her partner scream as his back and arms are slowly eaten away by the acid covering him.

She then looks to the source of the acid and sees a figure in a robe standing by a doorway. The robed figure heads through the door into Kahn's main office and Sonya kneels down beside Jax.

The red cybrog charges her and Lou sees the mechanical warrior ready to attack. He quickly runs, jumps and bicycle kicks the red cyborg across the room. As it smashes against the wall, the yellow cyborg turns its head distracted. Lao then uses the opening and quickly kicks the cyborg through the midsection. Sparks fly from within the cyborg's circuits as it drops to its knees and falls to the ground.

Lou and Ken then run past Sonya and bust through the doors after the hooded figure. They enter into Kahn's empty office and see a man at the far end of the room walk out onto the balcony. The two partners chase after him, but as they reach the balcony the hooded figure and another man dressed in a red robe vanish into the air. Lou stops short and Ken takes a step back in shock. "What the hell? Where'd they go?"

Lou then turns back into the office. "Let's check on Sonya."

They walk back into the lobby and see Jax lying unconscious on his stomach with burns all over his back. Sonya kneels by his side comforting him. "It's going to be ok, Jax. Hold on."

She then holds a radio up to her face. "We need someone up here, now! Officers down! I repeat: officers down!"

She looks up at Lao and Kang. "Did you get him?"

Lao steps up. "No. He and someone else vanished off the balcony."

"What?"

"Sonya, I'm sorry."

Sonya shakes her head and sulks her attention back to Jax. Kang and Lao then walk past her and out of the room.

Shawn Kahn looks out the window of his penthouse apartment with Shane Tsung and his hooded bodyguard by his side. The doors open and Jade walks into the room. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Kahn turns and walks forward towering over the stunning woman. "Yes, I did. The sorcerer tells me my building was raided earlier today. They even had a warrant for my arrest."

"I heard."

"You heard, did you?"

Kahn glances over to Tsung, then in one swift motion grabs Jade by the throat and slams her in the wall behind him. "Did you 'hear' that?!"

Jade falls to the floor dropping to her knees. "My lord, please. I didn't…"

Kahn cuts her off by grabbing her by the throat and lifting her up off the ground. "Don't even try it. I know you're a spy. You've been playing me for a fool. Now tell me, who do you work for?! Who's the detective in charge?!"

"I don't…"

"Liar!"

Kahn pulls her towards him and slams her back into the wall. "Did that refresh your memory?"

"L…Lao….Ken Lao."

"Where does he live?"

"I….I don't…"

She's cut off by a voice walking into the room. "I know."

Kahn turns and sees Baraka standing in the doorway with a devious smile on his face. "I know where Lao lives."

After hours of interrogation and paperwork, Loa and Kang ready to go home. As the two worn out and tired officers walk out the precinct doors, Kang offers Lao a ride home.

For half the ride the partners sit quietly until Kang breaks the silence. "What exactly happened today?"

"We messed up. That's what happened. Kahn's still out there and knows we're hunting him."

"I know that. But what happened on that balcony. Those two men disappeared into thin air."

"All I know is that we have several officers dead, several more critically injured and the beginning of a manhunt for the emperor of the entire criminal underworld."

Lao turns out the window and the silence sets in again.

As Lou turns down Ken's street, they spot a large trail of smoke in the distance drifting up into the sunset. Ken sits up in his seat instantly fearing for the worst. "Oh no."

Lou steps on the gas speeding up to the source of the smoke and they spot Ken's house in flames. Before Lou can come to a complete stop, Lao jumps out of the car and rushes head on into the incinerating house. "Sindel!"

Lou parks the car and runs after him. "Ken, hold up!"

After Lou runs through the busted front door, he looks around and sees nothing but flames and smoke. Every room is covered in cinder and the stairs creak as Ken runs down them. "I can't find my wife or daughters."

Lou and Ken continue to look around in shock and disbelief when their concentration is suddenly broken by a voice from behind them. "They're not here."

They both turn around and standing before them is a man dressed in all black armor. The only flesh showing on the warrior is the black skin of death around his dark blue eyes. Lou instantly recognizes him as the shadowy figure that had been following him. "Who are you?"

As the warrior begins to answer, Ken cuts him off. "Give me back my daughters!"

He lunges at the mysterious warrior but swings right through him. Ken turns back around and swings at the figure again and again, but it's no use. The man moves with the shadows in the smoke and flows around Loa's punches. Suddenly a blast of flames shoot out from inside the kitchen and blow Lou and Ken back to the floor.

As the flames continue to grow around them, Ken and Lou back into the only corner of the room not covered in fire. The dark figure then carelessly walks through the flames unaffected by the inferno around him. As the fire is about to engulf Lou and his partner, the mysterious warrior waves his hand and stops the blaze in its tracks.

He then turns his attention to Lou and Kang who stand in awe at the being's power. "The fates have spoken. To achieve victory you must attack your enemy tonight and Kahn will be dead before the sun rises again. But you cannot do this alone. You need help."

Lou instantly knows who he's referring. "Sub-Zero."

The shadow warrior nods his head, but Ken is reluctant to agree with the man's suggestion. "One of those freaks? No. We don't need help from any of your kind."

"Sub-Zero is not an ally of Kahn. He fights against him and is not only a valuable asset to your cause, but your only hope of defeating your foe. The choice is yours."

A gigantic shadow runs through the flames and covers the three men. Lou and Ken put their hands up to shield themselves from the blackness, but as they take their arms down they now stand outside of the burning house. As they look around for the dark figure several sirens grow louder behind them.

With the shadow warrior mysterious vanished, cop cars, ambulances and fire trucks surround the house. As people pour out of all the vehicles and attend to the burning house, Lou and Ken shrug off any help and make their way to their car. Lou steps in the driver's seat and turns to Ken. "You know what we have to do."

"I don't want any help from any of those….things."

"We need him to save your wife and your daughters."

Ken looks down and takes a deep breath in. "Ok. Let's go find this son of a bitch."

After an hour of driving, Lou parks underneath a bridge by the slums of the city. He then turns the car off and looks over to Ken. "You coming?"

"Sure. Why not."

Ken reluctantly follows Lou down into a tunnel, through a dark passage and into the dungeon-like cavern Sub-Zero calls home. The cold warrior meditates against the wall in the dark staring at the wall ahead. "I see you've come back to recruit me for your cause. I already told you. Kahn's not my problem."

Lou steps forward into the center of the damp room. "You still don't see it do you? Kahn IS your problem. He's my problem. He is my partner's problem. He's everyone's problem unless we stop him."

Zero stands up and turns towards the two men. "What do I care about some warlord using the system to his advantage? All I care about is karma and bringing those who ruined my life to justice."

Ken steps forward and recognizes the hatred embraced in Zero's rage filled eyes. "I know what you're feeling, boy. Your family was killed were they not?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because tonight my house was burned down and my family taken by Shawn Kahn."

Zero remains speechless as Ken goes on. "Kahn might not have killed your family. But he was behind it, just as he's behind everything that is wrong with this city. I feel what you're feeling. I know the hatred and anger that can consume you. It's very hard to let go. But if you had an opportunity to save your family…to bring them back…would you?"

Zero then breathes deep while Lou continues. "I know you can't save your family, but please…help me save mine."

Zero looks down for a moment before nodding his head. "Ok. I'll help you."

The three of them head back to the car and find Sonya Blade sitting on the hood. "Hey, boys. Who's the blue hottie?"

Lou and Zero get into the car and Ken walks over to Sonya. "What are you doing here? And why are you in such a good mood anyway? Isn't your partner in ICU?"

"Not anymore. He just got out of surgery for the cybernetic enhancements an hour ago. He'll be stronger than ever. As for you guys…I'm guessing by the stone cold look in your faces you're going after Kahn."

"We're planning on it but first we need backup."

"Not anymore."

A look of confusion grows across Lao's face. "What?"

"I just got an invitation from Kano. He wants us, all four of us ironically, to meet him and Kahn at his penthouse."

"We have an open invitation?"

Sonya smiles. "He wants mortal combat."

Lou starts up the car. "Then let's give it to him."

Tears pour down Sindel's cheeks as she bangs on the locked grand door of Shawn Kahn's bedroom. She spins around looking for a way out, but then gives into the onslaught of tears building in her eyes. She falls onto Kahn's bed and buries her head into the pillows crying.

"Why should a woman so beautiful have to shed a single tear?"

Sindel quickly sits up to see Kahn sitting next to her and jumps up off the bed. "Get away from me!"

"What's wrong?"

"You monster! Leave me alone!"

Kahn slightly smirks as he stands up and walks over to the window overlooking the enormous balcony. "Monster? Oh I'm afraid you have me all wrong…what was your name again?"

"Go screw yourself."

"Ahhh, yes. Sindel. Well as I was saying, Sindel, you have me all wrong. I am not a monster. I am a businessman, an entrepreneur, a leader."

"You're a killer and crook. And my husband's going to throw you and everyone one of you bastards in jail."

Kahn turns around and makes his way back towards Sindel. "That's where you're wrong, woman. Your husband will come here and he will die by my hand. He will fail and I will take you as my queen whether you like it or not."

Kahn takes his hand and gently runs it down the side of Sindel's face. She then raises her arm and slaps Kahn's hand away. "Don't touch me, you freak."

Kahn grinds his teeth as he stares the woman down. "You better watch your tongue, bitch. Or I might have my way with you before your pathetic husband even gets here. Actually, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back."

As Kahn leaves the room the doors lock and more tears Sindel had been holding back slowly drip down her cheek. She walks over to the bed and a dagger on the nightstand catches her eye. She picks it up and examines the blade as more tears pour out from her eyes. The desperate woman then raises the dagger up and holds it out in front of her. "Ken, forgive me."

Sindel thrusts the dagger down and deep into her chest.


	5. Chapter 5

Lou pulls up to the gigantic condominium owned by Kahn and parks on the side of the street. Lou, Ken, Zero and Sonya pile of the car out and walk towards the building where a doorman opens the entrance for them. "Hello. Mr. Kahn has been expecting you. Take the elevator to the penthouse. He'll meet you there."

They ignore the doorman and walk straight into the lobby when he yells back to them. "Oh, also you must leave your firearms with me."

They stop and turn back around, but Sonya is the only one to speak. "Are you serious?"

Zero shakes his head and turns back to the elevator. "Listen to him. Drop your weapons. All of you."

At first the three officers hesitate, but they reluctantly take their weapons out and place them on the ground. They then step into the elevator and glance at the doorman as the door closes. "Good luck."

On their way up, Sonya clenches his fist and bounces up and down in the cramped elevator. "This is stupid. What was I thinking? We're going to be ambushed."

Zero stays calm and remains composed. "No. This isn't a trap."

She takes one look at Sub-Zero and then faces forward. "You better be right, ice man."

As the door opens, the four warriors enter into the gigantic penthouse ready for a fight, but there was no one. They stay alert and make their way through the gigantic, empty penthouse.

They soon reach Kahn's gigantic bedroom and Ken spots Sindel's motionless body laid out across the bed with a dagger impaled in her chest. "Oh my God. No!"

Lao runs to her side in shock and hesitates for a moment before pulling the dagger from his wife's chest. Zero, Lou and Sonya slowly walk to the foot of the bed and tears run down Lao's face as he holds her close to him. "Sindel. No! Why?!"

"I wish I could take credit for her death. Unfortunately, I have to admit she's responsible for her own demise."

Lou, Zero and Sonya turn to see Shawn Kahn standing in the doorway wearing body armor. Next to him is Kano with a cybernetic enhancement over his injured eye, Shane Tsung in his red sorcerer's robe and Tsung's hooded bodyguard. Ken slowly lifts his head from Sindel's shoulder and lays her down on the bed. He then stands beside his allies. "You're a monster."

"You know your wife said the same thing…right before she killed herself."

Lao charges at him in a fit of rage, but the physically superior Kahn sidesteps and throws him through the doorway into the center of the apartment. Kahn follows Lao deeper into the penthouse and Lou runs after him. "Ken!"

As he's runs through the door, Tsung's hooded bodyguard tackles Lou and carries him through the wall on the far side of the bedroom. Kano then steps forward and arrogantly blows a kiss to Sonya. "I'm glad you could make it, baby."

Sonya stares him down without emotion. "I love what you did with your eye."

"Well then you're gonna love what I do to your face."

A beam shoots out from the red light that has replaced Kano's injured eye. Sonya dodges the attack, charges at Kano and tackles him through the doorway into the penthouse. Shane Tsung then waves his hand and the gigantic doors behind him close sealing him and Sub-Zero in the room. "Now we are alone."

Lao stands up and takes a fighting stance as Kahn struts towards him. Kahn deviously smiles as he towers over his opponent. "I'm going to enjoy watching you die."

Ken grinds his teeth then screams as he charges Kahn.

Kano and Sonya continue to battle through the living room of the penthouse and into the kitchen. They throw kicks and punches reading one another's attacks as if they've been fighting each other for years. Throughout the battle, Kano continues to mock Sonya. "Awww, is that all you got, baby."

Sonya keeps her mouth shut and concentrates on the fight.

As Tsung stares into Zero's eyes, the ice warrior grinds his teeth and clenches his fist. "Tonight you will pay for your sins, sorcerer."

Tsung calmly walks around Zero unafraid. "I know who you are, young cryomancer, but that doesn't mean you gain my sympathy. My respect, yes. Never my sympathy. And you may be right. The sins of my past may catch up to me tonight, but I can offer you something more than my life."

"And what is that?"

Tsung stops in front of his enemy and looks out towards the balcony where Scorpion waits. The yellow warrior makes sure Sub-Zero sees him and then walks away, deeper into the balcony. Shane Tsung then moves in close to Zero and whispers in his ear. "I offer you the soul of your brother's murderer."

Without looking back at the sorcerer, Sub-Zero walks over to the doorway and out onto the balcony. Tsung then follows him outside with a smile on his face.

The hooded guardian and Lou Kang continue to fight their way throughout the penthouse sending each other through wall after wall. Finally, Lou gains the advantage and slams the hooded warrior into the ground grabbing his head. "Now, let's see who you are."

Lou's jaw drops in shock as he pulls back the hood revealing the face of a half-man half-lizard creature. "What the hell?"

Reptile uses the opening to his advantage and kicks Lou off him. As Lou stumbles back, Reptile closes his eyes, focuses his energy and slowly fades away becoming invisible. Lou then takes another step back and looks around him. "Oh shit."

Zero steps out onto the large circular balcony and stares Scorpion down. Tsung walks in between the warriors and turns his head towards Scorpion. "Now this is interesting. One, a ghost of the Shirai-Ryu who seeks vengeance for the betrayal of those he trusted."

Tsung then looks in Zero's direction. "The other, a descendant of the Lin Kuei searching for revenge for the slaughtering of his family."

Tsung steps back and allows the two warriors to stare each other down. "I can feel the rage building within both of you. The anger rushing through your veins. Now unleash it. Punish those you find responsible. Claim your vengeance. Fight!"

Zero and Scorpion both charge and attack each other simultaneously.

Lou is knocked back and forth by invisible punches and then thrown through a door into a bathroom. He slowly stands off the tile floor and a series of pipes on the wall above the toilet catch his eye. Kang quickly rips the piping apart and sprays the water in front of him. The liquid hits Reptile and outlines along his invisible body. The creature then looks around and notices his body is visible.

Lou charges and grabs Reptile by the throat. He pounds the genetically engineered warrior into the wall and then slams him through a window. Lou looks out over the window as Reptile plunges down to the city street below. "I hope lizards can fly."

He then turns and walks back into the penthouse.

In the main room of the penthouse, Ken struggles against the physically superior Shawn Khan. Lao tries everything in his arsenal of attacks, but no matter what he throws at the juggernaut, Kahn just overpowers him. Lao throws kick after kick and punch after punch but Kahn absorbs the attacks and with one punch knocks the warrior to the ground.

Lao looks up at Kahn as he smiles at his downed opponent. "It's a shame your wife took her life before I had my way with her. I would have enjoyed using her body for my pleasure."

Lao grinds his teeth and clenches his fists as he charges back at Kahn. The self- proclaimed emperor simply catches his attacker by the throat and lifts him straight off the ground. Kahn then laughs as he chokes the life out of his inferior enemy. "You will never win."

Lou turns the corner into the room as Kahn twitches his wrist snapping Lao's neck. "Noooooo!"

Kahn throws Ken's limp body across the room and Lou runs over to it. Kang then lifts up Ken's head and closes his friend's eyes before taking in a deep breath. Kahn simply looks on and smiles. "I don't see what you're so upset about. Now he's with his wife. He got what he wanted."

Lou stands up slowly and silently walks towards Kahn as he laughs with overconfidence. "What? Now you want to die too?"

Lou takes a fighting stance and Kahn slowly breaths deep. "So be it."

Kang then fearlessly charges at his opponent.

Outside on the balcony, the battle between Zero and Scorpion rages on. Each skilled warrior uses their special attacks while the sorcerer watches on with a smile on his face. Scorpion unleashes his fire and Zero his ice, but both sides anticipate the other's throws attacks and dodges them.

The fight continues on as a stalemate until Scorpion moves in too close. Zero catches a punch and grabs Hanzo's arm with both his hands. "Wrong move."

Zero uses all his energy to freeze Scorpion's arm. The ice runs from the tip of his fingers to below Scorpion's shoulder before the spectre breaks free from the hold. Scorpion drops to his knees in agony and Zero stands over him victorious.

Tsung watches on waiting for Zero to give the final blow, but the cryomancer does nothing. "Finish him!"

Zero lifts up his fist ready to strike, but hesitates as Tsung yells on. "What are you waiting for?! Kill him!"

Hanzo looks up with his pale, white eyes and Sub-Zero slowly lowers his arm. "No. He's lost."

"He killed your brother and burned your home to the ground. He didn't show you mercy then, why should you show him mercy now?"

"Because I'm not like him."

Zero then turns his head to the sorcerer. "Because I'm not like you."

Tsung looks down as he takes a deep breath in then slowly looks up at Zero. "Then so be it."

The sorcerer lifts his arms up and Zero drops to his knees. A green energy then slowly fades from the cryomancer's body and into Tsung's hands.

Scorpion watches on from the ground as the ice around his arm melts away. He looks down for a moment before standing up and staring the sorcerer in his eyes. Tsung turns his head and sees the spectre staring him down as he continues to absorb Sub-Zero's soul. "Scorpion, stand down!"

Scorpion runs at Tsung and the sorcerer turns a hand towards Hanzo. "Fine. I'll send you back to the hell you belong in."

Tsung sends a bolt of energy towards Hanzo, but Scorpion keeps running forward as the energy engulfs his ghostly body. Scorpion then tackles the sorcerer off the balcony releasing Zero from Tsung's spell.

The ice warrior stands and looks over the edge of the balcony, but sees nothing. Both Scorpion and Shane Tsung are gone, vanished into the night and straight to whatever hell Hanzo calls home.

Meanwhile, Sonya and Kano continue to battle inside the penthouse. Kano tries to muscle and overpower his female opponent, but the agile and nimble Sonya Blade dodges each attack with ease.

Kano finally finds an opening in Sonya's defenses and grabs her in a chokehold. Kano then moves in closer and smells Sonya's hair as he watches her gasp for air. "Struggle for me, baby. I'm getting off just watching you die."

Sonya grinds her teeth and elbows Kano in the midsection to break free from his hold. As Kano drops her and stumbles back, Sonya spin kicks him in the head. Kano flies back into the wall and falls unconscious.

Sonya then walks over and leans over Kano's motionless body. "I'm sure the boys in Ryker's are gonna feel the same way about you."

Inside the main room of the penthouse, Lou Kang continues to battle his partner's murderer. Shawn Kahn is superior to Lou in strength and size, but Kang uses his speed and agility to dodge the behemoth's attacks.

When he eventually finds an opening to strike, Lou jumps in the air, spins around and kicks Kahn in the jaw. The blow stuns Kahn, but Lou quickly takes a fighting stance waiting for him to retaliate. Instead, Shawn Kahn wipes the blood from his mouth and stares at it in his hand. "Not bad. But this ends now."

As Kahn readies to strike Sonya walks into the room from one side and Sub-Zero from the other. The warriors stand beside Lou and all three of them take fighting stances. Kahn laughs as his eyes survey his opponents. "Ha! You all really want to die don't you?"

The three warriors silently stand tall as Kahn continues. "Fine. You want me, you got me."

Kahn extends his arms to his sides and screams as the energy builds around him. The flesh at the top of his face slowly melts off revealing the skull beneath it. Horns then shoot out from the half skull as his eyes glow bright red. Kahn then laughs as his muscles bulge out and he grows in size. "You have no idea what you're up against!"

As Kahn begins to taunt them, the three warriors look around him in shock as a strange and life like shadow of smoke and mist slowly builds behind Kahn's monstrous body. "I am the emperor of everyone and everything in this city! I own you! I own your families! You cannot stop me!"

The smoke and shadow begins to take shape and the dark, mysterious warrior appears from the blackness with a sword in hand. Kahn lifts his arms in the air as he continues to rant. "As for as you're concerned, I am God!"

As Kahn finishes his last sentence, the warrior thrusts his sword through Kahn's stomach. The mutated emperor spits up blood and screams in pain as he drops to his knees. The black warrior then slowly removes the sword from Kahn's limp body and the corpse falls to the floor.

Sub-Zero, Sonya and Lou remain speechless as the mysterious warrior stands tall and sheathes the sword to his side. "I thank you for your assistance in slaying the impostor, but now that he's dead, it is time for the reign of the proper emperor to begin once more. The true king shall take his throne, and you mortals shall bow down to the limitless power of Onaga."

To be continued….


End file.
